I've heard the phrase "Never mess with Mother Nature". Usually, I assumed that this was either an old adage about how to treat Pokémon, or some new age radicalist movement that demanded that some force higher than Pokémon existed. However, I've come to realize that this mere phrase goes a lot deeper than what my shallow mind once thought. The real message is that if you mess with this world, it'll mess with you a thousand times worse, because it never forgets and is much stronger than we know. If only I had listened...

After Angela had disappeared from my sight, I turned back to the silent City of Joy. It had seemed like such a long time since everything had been normal, but in reality, it was only noon, the hot sun brightly shining as if toying with me on how this day should have gone. Regardless, I wasn't focused on the sun, instead wondering where I would go next.

I tapped my Pokewatch and scrolled to the map of the region, zooming in on the area surrounding Jubilife. To my left was Canalave City, which I recalled was an old port city that also housed a library, but when I looked closer, I saw a small indicator that it was a water route. And, being ten years old, I wasn't that good of a swimmer, so that option would have to wait.

Straight ahead was Floaroma Town, a small valley that was famous for it's flowers as well as supplying the region energy via windmills. I pondered going there but then I saw what lay to the east: Oreburgh City. I recalled Roark on my TV just earlier that day, and I just had to wonder if he was okay. Plus, the trainer in me knew that Oreburgh would have been my next stop anyway, since that's where trainers usually got their first badge. So, looking away from my watch and in the direction of Oreburgh, I shouldered my backpack a little higher and was on my way.

As I walked down Route 203, I couldn't help but notice how...peaceful it seemed. Sure, it was as silent as the city behind me, but it seemed like under normal circumstances, such a quiet path right next to a place as busy as Jubilife would be a welcome relief. And, of course, that relief ended about as quickly as it had began.

While I was distracted by the simplicity of the very short trail, I almost ran into a huge wall made of rock. Luckily, I stopped myself before I could, but then I looked at this barrier in front of me and a sense of dread started to take over.

The entrance to Oreburgh Gate had apparently suffered a cave-in, because where the opening to it should be was only stone and dirt. After standing there stunned for a moment, I, for reasons I can only explain as shock, I tried to dig out the entrance. It was futile, of course, the rocks being so heavy that I couldn't even lift one. So, after my desperate attempt at heroism had failed, I stood there lamely and pondered my next move.

I had considered calling Jane again, but I felt as if she would have her hands full with Angela by now, so that was out. I then pulled up my map again and then looked for an alternate route to Oreburgh.

The only way was a long trek that started with Floaroma Town, after which you would pass through Eterna Forest, then the city by which it shared it's name. Following that, it was a straight shot down through Cycling Row until you reached Oreburgh City. Luckily, the detour didn't seem too long to me, figuring it would maybe take a day at most. With my destination and means of getting there set, I walked away from the entrance to Oreburgh and started my own way there.

It didn't take long for me to reach Jubilife again. Despite how uneasy it made me, it already seemed familiar to me. But, I couldn't stop and stay, so I forced myself to keep walking as I began north to Route 204.

Just as I was exiting the metropolis, my Pokewatch began to buzz. I looked to see that it was Jane, even though it couldn't have been anyone else. I immediately answered it and came to hear the professor's voice once again. "Hello? Jacob, are you there?"

I nodded, then felt like an idiot for doing so. I would really need to get used to this. I responded "Yes, Jane, I'm here. Is something wrong?" For a few seconds, my mind thought that something may have happened to Angela, but those thoughts quickly dissipated when Twinneedle answered.

"Oh, no, quite the contrary, Spinders. Angela just arrived, in fact. She seems a bit shaken by some...things she saw on her way back, but physically she's alright, aside from her leg." I was confused for a moment before it dawned on me that I hadn't warned Angela of the bodies near the path. My heart sank in my stomach as I spoke.

"Oh, um, yeah...I probably should have mentioned this before. There were a couple of...corpses on Route 202. Namely, the cameraman and Nurse Joy..." The shame/sorrow in my voice was evident, I'm sure, as I could hear the former professor make an unsurprised, but understanding 'Hmph' noise through the speaker.

"Well, that's a real shame...no wonder the poor girl is so freaked out..." Almost as an afterthought, she added "You should really mention these things sooner, Spider." I wasn't sure if the tone of her voice had contempt or pity, but neither sounded very pleasing, so I was glad when she quickly moved on, saying "Anyway, where are you now?".

I bit my lip and spoke as calmly as I could. "Well, I was headed to Oreburgh, but the entrance has completely collapsed, so I'm taking the long way around. I'm about to head from Jubilife and see if I can get to Floraroma Town, then go from there." I thought I could almost hear the approval in Twinneedle's voice when she spoke again.

"Good. Very good. Just be careful, there's no telling what's out there, Spider. Be sure to keep me posted. I'll be checking back in before the day ends, and I encourage you to do the same." She paused for a moment, as if mulling over something. After a few moments, she said slowly "Would you like to talk to Ms. Simmons here?" My ears perked up as I responded affirmatively.

I could hear the watch being handed off to my companion as she spoke, nervous as always. "H-hi, Jacob. It's g-g-good to hear your voice..." It warmed my heart to hear hers too, but I soon bit my tongue at her next words. "There were s-s-some awful th-things on that tra-a-ail, Jacob. B-b-bod..." She couldn't finish the sentence and I wasn't about to let her.

"I know, I know, I royally screwed up." I cut in. "I should have told you. It just...slipped my mind, I guess." I was quiet before continuing, my thoughts in a jumble. "It just...felt nice to have someone around and I got distracted. I think I even forgot about how bad things were for a while." A light blush hit my cheeks as I relived that moment...

Let me be clear right now: I did NOT have feelings for Angela. Sure, it was nice to have someone around, but keep in mind that I was 10 and she was AT LEAST TWICE my age. Anyway, what emotions I did feel for her were much more on an emotional level, as in I sympathized with how fragile she was and felt she was too good of a person to get hurt. Basically, I just had the need to protect her since no one else would. Think of me as a bodyguard with a katana and her being a delicate flower. I could save her, but if I wasn't careful, I could just as easily hurt her.

Angela seemed to process those words before responding. "I-it's okay, Jacob. I u-understand. We all forget things somet-t-times. And b-b-besides, I liked having you around t-too." The blush on my face refused to go away. Honestly, I just wasn't good at taking compliments, so I had to change the subject.

"Either way, I'll make sure that it won't happen again. I just need to be sure that I give fair warning next time and pay attention to my surroundings " I had an affirmative, almost confident note in my voice as I spoke. "Anyway, I need to go if I'm going to make it to Oreburgh, so maybe we'll talk later " I put on my most friendly and casual tone as I spoke, hoping that the woman would think that I was fine on my own. When she gave an 'Okay' and handed the watch back to Jane, I was satisfied.

"I won't keep you any longer, Spider. Be on your way to Floaroma and be sure to check in with me as soon as you can. I don't want you going silent on me without knowing where you are, you hear me?" I gulped slightly as I told her that I understood, and with that, she hung up. I sighed looked up from my watch and shook my head slightly as I continued on the way to Floaroma Town.

In the middle of the route, there was a small cave called the Ravaged Path. It was fairly easy to see, as it was the only notable thing on the path, and it didn't take long for me to make it there. Still, I saw no one (or thing) as I headed there. When I finally reached the cave, I went inside, and waited for my eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness. As they did, I noticed a slight problem.

In front of me were three rocks that went up to about my chest. They looked as if that could have been broken...perhaps by a Pokémon move or something, but I didn't have any Pokémon, nor anything else to break these things. So, I had to improvise. Luckily, I had a small frame, and there was a space in between 2 of the rocks, that if I went in a diagonal direction, I could slip through them and make it to the other side. After about half a minute of making sure I could make it through without getting stuck, I did so rather easily. Once I was through, I made my way out, not wanting to spend another minute in the place.

I came back out to the bright sun, but it didn't seem as bright as before, probably because it was getting later. Either way, with no time to waste, I bounded up the rocky steps that would lead right in to Floaroma Town.

I could smell the place before I saw it. It was a sweet smell of hundreds, maybe even thousands of flowers of all different kinds. I couldn't help but to stop and smell the flowers, breathing in the intoxicating scent as I sighed in approval, my senses thanking me. And then, I walked through the arched gate to see what could only be Floaroma Town.

A light wind blew in my direction as the sweet aroma of flowers overtook me yet again. I opened my eyes after a fresh breath to note a sign that confirmed my suspicions: Floaroma Town: Vivid & Scented (The town that smells vividly of flowers). However, that sweet smell was soon replaced with a bitter taste as I realized that, although it might be peaceful, that there was no one here as well. There were few houses, but they seemed abandoned, so that left the Pick a Peck flower shop. I had heard that they sold different flowers and seeds so you could grow your own all over the region. They even had berries, which was pretty useful...or would have been, anyway...

I was interrupted from my thoughts when I heard what I can only describe as a howl of pain. I looked around and determined that the cry had come from the meadow behind Floaroma Town. I couldn't see it, due to the trees blocking it, but I figured that it must have been a Pokémon, thinking that no human could make a noise like that.

I could have run. I could have ignored it. I could have kept on going like it had never happened. However, a part of me, that natural curiosity instilled in most kids my age at the time, urged me forward. So, after finding the small clearing in trees that led to the field of flowers, I took a deep breath, walked through, and looked for the source of the anguish. I could not have been prepares for what it was.

It was a Deerling, in Spring Form given that it was September, it back covered in short pink fur. It had the usual yellow tuft of hair on its head in between its ears and similarly colored fur separating it's back and peach colored belly. It lay in the fetal position, it's pink tail limp and it's black hooves curled together. It almost looked like it was asleep, and I may have even thought that...were it not for the blood.

Three huge claw marks were on the Deerling's side. Given the blood mixed with the grass and unnaturally red flowers around it, I could only assume that it had been thrashing in pain not long before. I inched closer to it, not worried about if it would attack me. Even if it had wanted to, I don't think it would have had the strength or means to do so. When I was almost directly in front of it, an electronic voice emitted from my wrist and broke the eerie silence.

Deerling: The Season Pokémon. The color and scent of their fur changes to match the mountain grass. When they sense hostility, they hide in the grass. The turning of the seasons changes the color and scent of this Pokémon's fur. People use it to mark the seasons. Their coloring changes according to the seasons and can be slightly affected by the temperature and humidity as well.

I was slightly annoyed at how redundant it sounded when mentioning the fur, but I supposed that was the Pokemon's most notable feature. Anyway, that wasn't what was important right now. What mattered was that there was a clearly injured Deerling in front of me and I was unsure of what to do. Yes, my first instinct had been to help it, of course, but what if it thanked me by trampling me to death with those hooves? And yet, as I looked at the creature, it's doe eyes pleading, it's shallow breath making it's body slowly go in and out, I couldn't bear to turn the poor thing away.

I moved quickly, removing my backpack and unzipping it, going through my supplies. First, I grabbed some water, opening the bottle and pouring it on the little deer's wounds. It winced a little, but soon the blood had washed off and I could see the marks more clearly. They looked long, but luckily weren't very deep. In addition, the bleeding had seemed to stop, although there was no telling how much blood the poor thing had lost, given the amount scattered around it's body.

I didn't know what exactly to do with the wounds, not having any earlier medical supplies left, since I would have brought some if I knew I would need it soon, so I had to improvise. I took a Full Heal, one of two I had been given, and sprayed it onto the wound, rubbing it in with my bare hands. The season Pokemon let out a tiny shriek and thrashed a little, but quickly stopped in what I can only assume was the medicine taking effect. I smiled a little to myself at my work, but I wasn't quite finished yet

I looked trough the Berries section of my pack until I found what I had been looking for. Carefully, I held a Sitrus Berry up to the Pokemon's nose, hoping it would notice. It didn't take long for it to and I gently fed it to the deer, its tongue taking it and teeth crunching. After what felt like ten seconds, the effect was noticeable. Its breathing became less ragged, and it began to move. Soon, the pink deer tried to stand, slowly but surely succeeding. Its legs shook, but were still solid as it took a few steps in a small circle, testing its own strength. After a full circle, it came face to face with me, still kneeling.

The Deerling cocked its head as if regarding me for the first time. It's eyes seemed to be studying me. I recalled the Pokedex entry saying that the creature could sense hostility, but that didn't worry me. I had just saved its' life, after all. After it looked me over, dark pupils met my green irises. Then, something I didn't expect happened: The Deerling, with its soft tuft of fur, and walking ever so closer to me, snuggled against me.

If a Pokémon could smile on its own, this one definitely did. Getting over my shock, I of course cuddled it back, hugging its back and belly, taking care not to touch its likely sore scratches. After it had shown its gratitude, it quickly stepped back and regarded me one more. Then, it slowly turned away and headed into the forest at the edge of the meadow, slowly walking towards it.

I won't lie and say I wasn't upset. If I had been a more selfish kid, I would have caught that thing immediately, assuming that it was paying me back for saving its life and making it my first Pokemon. But, as I looked at the wide eyes of the small deer, I knew that it wanted to be on its own for a while. And while I was worried about it being attacked again, somehow I figured that it would be more careful from now on.

So, as the Season Pokémon came to the edge of the field of flowers, it looked back at me one more time, doing a full 180 and facing me fully. I can't be sure, but I could swear that it nodded at me, like a final sign of appreciation. Then it turned it's pink tail to me and skipped off in a bouncy gait.

I was left standing on the flower filled meadow unsure of what to do or how I felt. Yet, as I gathered my bearings, and my supplies, I had a strangely warm feeling inside. I flinged my backpack over my shoulder and began walking out of the meadow back the way I came. The last thought I had when looking back at that blood soaked area and where the Deerling had run off was that it wouldn't be the last time I would be seeing that exact Pokemon. There was no way of me knowing if that were true or not, of course, but something inside made it ring true, and with my head and heart held high, I turned away from the bloodied flowers, heading back to Floaroma Town.

Hey, peepz, its Drew, the author. First off, I can't believe that I have an update already either. This section of the story just excited me a lot and I let the creativeness flow, I guess. I can't guarantee that future updates will be this quick, but I promise that I will try my best. I'm honestly excited for the next bit and already have it worked out in my head. The hard part is just writing it out, lol.

Anywho, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Yes, I did divert from the usual path in games and such, and you can expect more of that. This entire fic is unconventional, so why would you expect our next stop to be anything less? ;)

Also, I didn't hide any references (on purpose anyways) in this chapter, but if I accidentally mentioned something, point it out, Lmao. I might be a creative genius after all! :D

Anyway, I'll end this boring Author's Note with the usual. Be sure to F&F (Follow and Fav) if you haven't already, and R&R (Refer and Review). Honestly, every new person who I see is interested in this keeps me going, and I could never do it without each of you cheering me on in your own little ways. Whether its criticism (constructive, ofc) or advice or just a "Hey, this actually seems kinda decent and I wanna see where you go with this, so keep going.", I'm always happy to hear from you guys!

Welp, I guess that's all folks. Until next time. Cya! *fades out*